Ashes 2017: Second test, Day 3:Australia lead by 268, stay ahead in the game

Anderson and Woakes grabbed two wickets each.

After the second day's play, Australia had completely driven England apart, first by Shaun Marsh and Pat Cummings 99 run stand for the 8th wicket, Tim Paine also joining the party and Mitchell Starc striking early to restrict the visitors to 29/1 trailing by 413. No England bowler was productive besides young Overton who grabbed 3 wickets on his debut.

The third day resumed with Cook and Stoneman on the crease in a hope to rebuild England's inning and make a good platform for middle order but unfortunately, Australian bowlers had a different plan to destroy England's top order with the ball still new, Hazlewood started off with sending James Vince back to the pavilion.

The Captain of the team Joe Root came to the crease to join struggling Alastair Cook when England was 31/2. England seriously needed their Captain and the most experienced, player to take their team out of danger but in contrast to 5 overs, Pat Cummings removed Joe Root, another disappointment for the Captain going cheaply.

Cook and Dawid Malan tried to reconcile the loss but Cook fall prey to Nathan Lyon's beautifully drifted delivery, Cook has been dismissed by Lyon six times. Cook was caught by Smith in the first slips, gone.

England was floating with Malan and Moeen Ali on the strike but it was the day of Australia bowlers who knocked out the middle order of England with Malan getting out behind the wickets by Cummings.

Till the tea, England score was 128/5 with Moeen Ali (22) and Bairstow (17) on the strike. After the first session, England had scored 99 with Aussies clinching 4 wickets had the match under their control. England still needing 114 runs to avoid the follow-on.

England second session started with falling wickets of their last hope with Moeen Ali and Johnny Bairstow getting caught by the bowlers. As it was the day of Australian bowlers they left nothing for England to cherish about. Within 62 runs England four batsmen went out their way back to pavilion.

Australia bowlers have been very impressed with the bowl, taking crucial wickets at quick intervals made them in front of England in the second test match at Adelaide.

The eighth-wicket partnership of 66 being the best of the innings sums up how difficult it has been for the English batsman. The debutant Overton grabbed his movement to overshadow other players with sticking three wickets in the first innings and score runs in the other. This match will prove to be his dream match despite a blunder performance by his teammates.

Another session went Australia's way with Bairstow and Ali departing early. The 66 run partnership between Woakes and Overton frustrated Australia but thanks to Woakes bad shot selection, Overton looking good with the bat as well wanting Broad and Anderson to avoid the follow-on, still trailing by 223 runs.

Just after the dinner break Nathan Lyon wrapped up England's inning with bowling Broad and Anderson out back to the pavilion. Overton being unlucky as he missed his first Test half-century, he played brilliantly but was unfortunate to avoid the follow-on. They were all out on 227.

Steven Smith did not enforce the follow-on and asked his openers to jot down some quick runs to give English players a heavy target.Australia leading by 215 runs.

It was yet another great opportunity for Cameron Bancroft to make it big like the previous match but Anderson did not let that happen he outplayed Bancroft on 4 runs. Must be disappointed in himself after a poor start.

Usman Khawaja who scored a half-century in the first innings came to the crease to help Warner in the middle but James Anderson whos on fire in the third innings sent him back at 20 with Warner giving a thick edge away in the slips to Root.

The captain came to the crease after a heavy brake by Anderson but he also went cheaply by Chris Woakes. The England bowlers have come good in the third innings and slaughtered Australia's top order totally.

James Anderson has reduced the host to a very minimal third inning total by his 11 overs which gifted him 2 crucial wickets. The captain will be really happy after seeing the destruction by the bowlers.

At the stumps, Australia was 53/4 with disaster from the top order, England bowlers came back really well to restrict the host. With Lyon and Handscomb on the strike, they will have to bat well. Australia leading by 268 will definitely frustrate Joe Root.